NICKY Butt only has eyes for two clubs - Manchester and Newcastle United.

NICKY Butt only has eyes for two clubs - Manchester and Newcastle United.

The England midfielder has had a transfer window request accepted and so could depart Old Trafford before the transfer window shuts.

But while Birmingham, Spurs and Middlesbrough have all expressed an interest, Butt is thought to have decided that only a Newcastle bid would persuade him to leave.

The 29-year-old knows that leaving United in search of regular first team football will boost his chances of making England's squad for Euro 2004, but he is desperate to avoid taking too large a step down.

And according to The Sun, the player's first choice would still be to stay with the Premiership champions if he could win back his first team place.

"Nicky would prefer to stay at Old Trafford if he was in the first team, but he thinks the next best thing would be Newcastle," a friend of the player told the paper.

"It is a major club with massive support and profile. He's played there plenty of times and enjoyed it.

"He may be taking a step down, but it always is unless you join Real Madrid. Moving to Newcastle is just about as small a step down as you can get."